Mercedes Benz S-Class 2011

Mercedes Benz S-Class 2011 received the Best Luxury Car award for fifth year in a row at the "What Car?" Car of the Year 2011 Awards ceremony. Many features of the S-Class are unique and remain unrivalled by competitors. Safety features on the S-Class continue to develop and October will see the arrival of the new Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist, both optionally available as part of the Driving Assistance Package which also includes Distronic Plus.

For the fifth year in a row the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been awarded the accolade of Best Luxury Car at the What Car? Car of the Year 2011 Awards, held at the Grosvenor House hotel on Thursday 13 January.

This is the tenth time that an S-Class has been recognised as the What Car? Best Luxury Car, and Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief at What Car? commented: “It’s a result that was never really in any doubt. This car provides a fabulous way to travel whether you’re driving yourself or taking it easy in the rear while the chauffeur does his job”.

The judges cited the standard specification as lavish, praised the air suspension for the best blend of ride quality and handling and noted that the 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine has enough performance to keep you interested without upsetting the accountant.

Gary Savage, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars accepted the award and said: “We are delighted that the S-Class has retained the title of Best Luxury Car and continued to impress the What Car? team. The S-Class has set a benchmark for others to follow, with innovative technology, exemplary levels of comfort and refinement, and excellent levels of safety and efficiency; it deserves its place as our flagship model for customers who expect only the very best. This year Mercedes-Benz celebrates 125 years of innovation and the S-Class is at the very forefront of how far we have come and what we have achieved."

In 2010 five new engines were introduced to the S-Class, all featuring more power, and, of course, greater efficiency. The S 350 BlueTEC diesel engine, which accounts for over 90 per cent of UK sales, is the first vehicle to already meet EU6 emissions which come into effect in 2014 returning 41.5 mpg and emitting just 177 g/km.

“The Mercedes-Benz S-Class maintains its place at the top of the luxury tree despite the best efforts of the competition. Whether you are looking for a spacious, discreet limousine or a sporty, head turning saloon there is an S-Class that fits the bill,” said Auto Express, Editor in Chief, David Johns.

The S-Class continues to innovate and set a benchmark for others to follow. Since its launch in 2006 the flagship model has continued to dominate sales in the luxury car segment with class leading, innovative technology and the highest levels of comfort and style.

Mike Whittington, Sales Director for Mercedes-Benz UK added: “We are delighted that the S-Class has been recognised as Best Luxury Car at the Auto Express New Car Awards again this year. These consecutive wins really demonstrate the strength of the S-Class in the Luxury segment and in October this year the S-Class will become an even more competitive package with the introduction of new active safety systems and BlueTEC technology.

Many features of the S-Class are unique and remain unrivalled by competitors. Safety features on the S-Class continue to develop and October will see the arrival of the new Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist, both optionally available as part of the Driving Assistance Package which also includes Distronic Plus.

Active Blind Spot Assist now takes action if the driver ignores warnings and the vehicle comes dangerously close to the next lane. The system will intervene by applying braking force to the wheels on the opposite side of the vehicle via the Electronic Stability Program ESP® to create yaw movement which counteracts the collision course.

Active Lane Keeping Assist is also now linked to ESP® for the first time. This system kicks into action if the car inadvertently drifts over a solid line to the right or left of a lane. The driver is first warned by the gentle vibrations through the steering wheel and then the system takes action using ESP® to brake the opposite wheels and thereby prevent the vehicle from crossing the line.